According to a report by Channels TV from 6:29, human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has spoken about the role his wife, Opeyemi Sowore, played in advocating for his release after he was detained by Nigerian authorities in 2019.
Sowore described his wife as a strong woman, saying her response to his detention revealed a side of her he had not previously seen.
“She’s a strong woman. She’s very strong in her own way,” Sowore said. “I have to admit, stronger than I ever thought she would ever be because she’s typically not interested in politics.”
According to him, Opeyemi had generally stayed away from political activities, but his arrest prompted her to become actively involved in efforts to secure his freedom.
“She showed her political side when I was detained the first time in 2019, and she was basically the one who did all the advocacy,” he added. “I remember that she reached out to Congress people in the US to get me out of the case.”
Sowore was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) in August 2019 following his involvement in the #RevolutionNow protests, which focused on calls for improved governance and greater accountability in Nigeria.
During his detention and the legal proceedings that followed, his wife reportedly took up advocacy efforts on his behalf, including contacting lawmakers in the United States, where the family resides.
The case subsequently attracted international attention, with some US lawmakers calling on Nigerian authorities to respect human rights and due process in handling Sowore’s detention.
Sowore was eventually released on bail in December 2019 after months of legal and political controversy surrounding his case.
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